But City’s assistant manager David Platt insists the player is happy and a valued member of the squad.

Platt said: “Scott is doing fine. He has done well when he has come on, and when he has started games as well, but we have a big squad and everyone is aware of that.

“When a player comes to this club, they are going to have to accept they are not going to play week in week out. Some will play more than others, but when we spoke to Scott, he knew what he was coming into, that it was a big, big squad.”

“The manager’s door is always open to any player if they feel they want to go and play, like Adam [Johnson] did.”